Window regulator mechanism



Feb. 13,1951 c. c. FISH 2,541,579

WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Filed oct. 14, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 13, 1951 c. c. FISH WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 .l-LE

INVEIJTOR., CARL C., Fshh Patented Feb. 13, 1951 WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Carl C. Fish, Detroit, Mich., assignorto Ferro Stamping and Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,675

Claims.

r This invention relates generally to window regulators and refers more particularly to lim- .iprovements in regulators of the type employed in vehicle bodies for raising and-lowering the windows usually incorporated in such bodies.

One of the objects of this yinvention is to substantially reduce the cost of manufacture of window regulators of the above type by simplifying the construction of the several parts involved `and by reducing the number of such parts to a minimum. Another object of this invention is to replace the complicated and expensive clutch unit usu- ,ally employed in window regulator mechanisms .with a relativelyv simple assembly capable of be- 4ing inexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed.

A more detailed object of this invention is to provide y an operative connection between the Window regulator lift arm and the operating shaft Vor handle, embodying a rotatable plate having a groove in one face extending spirally with re- -spect to the axis of rotation of the plate and engageable with .2, follower connected to the lift arm for swinging the latter in response to rotation of the plate. With this arrangement rotationof the plate by a force applied to the follower is prevented, and as a result, the window or closure is held in any desired adjusted position without the assistance of a specially constructed clutch.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be :made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with vthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a window regulator mechanism embodying the .features of this invention; y l

Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are respectively sectional views taken on the lines 2 2, 3 3, 4 4, 5 5 and 6 6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is a sectional View taken on the line .1 1 of Figure 2; and v Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 5.`

Upon yreference to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the numeral I0 indicates a closure in the form of a window supported for vvertical sliding movement and having a channel II suitably secured to the bottom edge thereof. .The window I0 is operated by a, regulator mechanism I2 xed to a, panel I3 which forms one side of a well kadapted to accommodate the window when the latter is moved to its open position.

.1;.The window regulator mechanism I2 is secured 2 to the inner side of the panel I3 and occupies a position in the well below the window Ill when the latter is in its raised or closed position. It

lwill be understood, however, that the regulator mechanism I2 is offset from the path of travel of the window Ill to provide suilicient clearance in the well for receiving the window when the latter is moved to its lowermost position in the window Well.

In detail the window regulator mechanism I2 comprises a plate I4 secured to a reinforcing frame member I5 which in turn is secured to the panelr I3. The plate I4 is embossed laterally in'- wardly to form a hub I5 having a central opening therethrough for receiving an operating shaft Il. The reinforcement I5 is formed with an opening I8 to provide clearance for the hub I6 and the panel I 3 is formed with an aligned opening through which the shaft projects. An operating handle or other suitable driving mechanism may be secured to the inner end of the shaft for rotating the latter.

enlargement 22 on the outer end of the shaft I'I.l Thus vthe disc 2D rotates as a unit with the shaft il, and the inboard side of the disc has a bearing engagement with the adjacent surface of the plate I4. In order to reduce friction to a minimum, the plate Ill is embossed laterally outwardly at spaced points to form ribs 23 arranged to act as a bearing surface for the disc 2u.

A second plate 24 is secured to the outboard side of the plate I4, and is embossed laterally outwardly to provide a space between the plates sufficient to accommodate the disc 20. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the opposite sides of the embossed portion of the plate 24 are formed with slots 25 to enable the peripheral portions of the disc 2n to project therethrough. The plate 24 is also embossed laterally inwardly to form ribs 26 which are spaced from each other in a manner to cooperate with the ribs 23 on the plate I4 `to form a bearing for the disc 2l).r

' Theplate 24 also forms a support for-thelift ving arm 2l having oneend pivoted to the plate 24 in a manner to enable swinging movement of `the'arm in a plane parallel to' the plane of move- .ment of the window varm 2l is pivoted to 4the plate by a pin 28 movement to the window l in an upward direc`` tion and downward swinging movement of the arm 21 about the pin 28 imparts a downward movement to the window im -I'nthiet` present instance the weight of the window-51e' islam-inter-V balanced to some extent by a spiral-spring 34 having the inner end engaged -in a` slot 32. formed.

in the pin 28 and having the outer end anchored on the plate 24 by a bracket 33. 'I-huswhen the window is lowered by the arm 21, the sprial fsprmgjl is woundv oruftension'ed, andv thereby assists inzraisi'ng thewind'ow iii Vbyv thefarmc2i1.

The .regulator arm: 2-1 is formed withv an up- ".,vvarjdly'projecting,` extension' 3% at fthepivoted end thereoi`,.y andthis extension. is .pivotally connected fto' one end of a linlr'Slihaving the oppositew'end pivotallyI connected to the upper endV of a. lever 35 by a shouldered-pin' 36?. The pin vis-slidably supported in a slot 31 formed in the plate 14 .adjacentxthe: upper end: thereof. andl elongated in a direction parallel tothe slot 3i inthe-window c'liannel il. .It will bev noted from Figure .4 that `upper 'end-of the lever e5 is forinedfwithv an -elengatedfslot 36." forreceivingxthe pin. The VVlengthyoi.the slot 35", `is. sufficient to' compensate fior-the angular movement of' the lever 35' about the: axis-1` of.' the pin.2.8.

.Thellower endef thetlever is pivoted toithe plate Zai by-.aipin 38 in.amanner'toienableiswinge ing'movementei the'V lever in aA plane parallel to the plane of swinging. .movement of the Varm 21. The above constructionisisu'c'h thatswing'- ing .movement of the lever 35 in a clockwise "direction v@Figure l of Vthe. drawingslimparts a downward' swinging movement 'to :the` arm` '2L1 'through therlink Sllto lower the window mi O'n 'the-.other hand, .swinging movement ofthe lever T35 about the axis :of lthe pin 38 in a counter- -clookwise' direction operates@ the arm 2l through 'th/'e link v35 to raise the-window ill- Infaccordance with the' present .invention` the "I'ever'i- 'is operated inL response lto rotation of the' fdise ZES'. This is- -ac'complished herein y'by forming a'groove inthe outboard face ofthe .disc 2il, and this groove' extends spirally with `respectV to' the axis of rotation of the shaftl l1.

=follower Lie) in the form of a roller is'engaged inthespiral'groove,and is mounted on-the inner '.end of a pin el'. The outer enclof the pin 41 projectsthrough an elongated 'slot-42 iormed in 'plate '2li isy connected to the 'lever 35 "through a guide @3. 4The slot 42V extends parallel vv'tothe slot 3'1 and the 4center linee'f the` slot 42 lies in a: plane ineludingthe'axis ofthe shaft 11.1 The construction is such that rvthe pin alternately moves 1in `foppositeI directions length- 7'vv-isel-of the slot 42 in response to rotation of the disc 2Q in opposite directions by the drive shaft section and is slidably supported onthe lever Theguide 43 is channel-shaped in /cross v35 intermediate the endsV of the latter. Thus movement of the pin along the. slot 42 in responseto rotation of the disc 2li imparts arco-rregspondingmovement to the. guide 43fandeffects Jal swinging movement of the lever' 3.5 in a direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the disc 20. Inasmuch as the upper end of the lever is connected to the arm 21 by the link 34. it follows that the arm 21 is operated by the disc 20 to in turn operate the window I0.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A regulator for a closure supported for slid. Ving `movement in anv "up, .and 'downi direction,

comprisingaplate fixed to one side of the path of sliding movement of the closure, a member supported on the plate for rotation and having groovesatoneside thereof deiining a spiral path having as its center the axis of rotation of the Amember, a'l'ever positioned to overlie the grooves Vconnected Ito thefclosure, and an. .operativenonneetion-betweeirthe swingingend of thalevelfantl saidtliLtingarm.

2. regulator foraclosure'.suppeitedforzwcinglmovementi in an iup, and down direction, .comprising Yaxplate nxed to onel side'I of. thepatmof sliding.' movement of the-closure; amember supported on the plate at one Vsidelof the, latter-.feriretation randhaving a groove-'in onellface 'thereof extending spirally with respect to the axisaroroitation: of? the member, ay lever positioned atithe y opposite side of the Yplate fand having 'one end 'pivoted-'to the plate for swinging movement insa Aplane substantially vparallellto-the plane' of' rota- 'tionof themember, a follower supportedionfthe lever for sliding movement lengthwiseuoi' the Vleverv and extending through a slot in saidl plate into the spiral: groove, said'slot-extend-ing radially outwardly from1 the axis of rotation of the member and 'having the opposite ends respectively `registering with opposite ends of the groove,":a "lifting arm having one end piveted to the x'plate and having the swinging end connected to the closure, and a connection between the swinging 'endl of' the lever andlifting arm for swinging the "latter in lresponse to swinging movement of the lever. l 3. A regulator for` a closure supported for :slid:- ing-movement in an up and down direction, com prising a support xed to one side of the path of sliding movement of the closure, a member mounted on the support for rotation and 'having grooves in one face defining a spiral path having as its center the axis of rotation of themember, 'a lever positioned to overlie the face aforesaidof the member and having' one end pivoted tol the support for swinging movement in a plane-'substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said member, a 'follower supported een the lever for sliding movement lengtli-wise'oi". the lever' and guided by the grooves, means on the" support and engageable with the follower to confine movement of the follower in astraight line path of travel extending generally radially with respect ite the `axis of rotation fof said member, alifting armvhaving one endportion pivoted -ontliel support-and. having the opposite end portionfcon# ynestedto the closure, and' a link eonnectingftlie Yswinging end offsaid leverto the 'liftingfarim 4'.. A'regulator 'for' afclosure supported fer'slidving movementin an upiand downdirectiomfcomiprisingv asupportafixed :to .one side of the path-ei sliding movement of' the; '.clnsure a, .member :mounted on thefsupport for. rotationandfhauing' grooves in one face defining a spiral path having as its center the axis of rotation of the member, said path having a plurality of relatively closely spaced convolutions arranged in a common plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the member, a slot in said support extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of said member in overlying relation to the convolutions of the spiral path, a lever overlying the face aforesaid of the member and having one end pivoted to the support for swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of the member, a follower supported on the lever for sliding movement lengthwise of said lever and guided by the grooves, means on the follower slidably supported in said slot for confining movement of the follower in a straight line path of travel, a lifting arm having one end portion pivoted on the support and having the opposite end portion connected to the closure, and an operative connection between the swing end of said lever and the lifting arm.

5. A regulator for a closure supported for sliding movement in an up and down direction, cornprising a support fixed to one side of the path of sliding movement of the closure, a member mounted on the support for rotation and having grooves in one face defining a spiral path having as its center the axis of rotation of the member, a lever positioned to overlie the face aforesaid of the member and having one end pivoted to the support for swinging movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of rotation of said member, a follower supported on the lever for sliding movement lengthwise of the lever and guided by the grooves, an elongated slot in the support extending in the general direction of swinging movement of the lever and located adjacent the swinging end of said lever, a lifting arm having one end portion pivoted on the support and having the opposite end connected to the closure, a link having one end p-ivotally connected to the lifting arm and having the opposite end slidably supported in said slot, and a slotted connection between the said opposite end of the link and the swinging end of said lever.

CARL C. FISI-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,811,790 Grieg June 23, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 300,032 Italy Aug. 26, 1932 330,502 Italy Oct. 16, 1935 420,895 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1933 

